Ominous Jordan Whitehead Report
August 10th, 2021
Perhaps only injuries would be able to derail the Bucs this season (they didn’t last year) and hopefully the first big one hasn’t just hit the roster.
Safety Jordan Whitehead, the bone-crusher of The Gravediggers, did not practice today and Bucco Bruce Arians was asked it was anything serious. “We’ve got to wait and see,” Arians replied.
The head coach was pressed to say if Whitehead’s absence was tied to his offseason shoulder rehab, and Arians said, “We’ll find out. Thanks.”
Arians has been very quiet about injuries since training camp started 16 days ago. But today’s comments had an ominous vibe to them.
Joe wishes Whitehead well.
August 10th, 2021 at 11:16 am
NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO
August 10th, 2021 at 11:22 am
Bucs have great depth at safety. Edwards and Cockrell, while not the hitters that Whitehead is can still fill that spot quite well if the injury is serious
August 10th, 2021 at 11:25 am
Maybe simply a precaution…..soreness, tenderness in shoulder….we will see…
And, by the way, I have no problem with Arians being very guarded with injury information….that is exactly the way he should be. I realize the media and we would love to know details….but we really aren’t entitled to medical information.
August 10th, 2021 at 11:26 am
Here we go, the downward spiral has begun
August 10th, 2021 at 11:29 am
I mean, Edwards is good. Whitehead is better imo but safety is the one place we have a genuine starter as depth on the defense.
August 10th, 2021 at 11:33 am
Licht pissed away a 2nd Rd pick on Kyle when there were quality Safeties available. Licht’s dumb luck has finally run out
August 10th, 2021 at 11:34 am
I prefer Edwards over Whitehead, but they are pretty similar….
But I have to say that if he is done, we would need replacement sooner rather than later.
Hope is nothing!!
August 10th, 2021 at 11:37 am
The silver lining is we’re still in preseason and before any cuts. The Bucs have time (and resources) to make a trade or pick up a good safety that may get cut.
August 10th, 2021 at 11:42 am
I think Edwards is more of a ballhawk and Whitehead is more of a thumper. We are going to be so far ahead in most games Ross Cocktail will get plenty of experience at his new position. Go Bucs!!!
August 10th, 2021 at 11:48 am
or BA was in a mood and did not want it blown out of proportion
August 10th, 2021 at 11:54 am
Edwards and Jordan are neck and neck for the starting position. While Jordan is better against the run, Edwards is a ballhawk. I have no worries if Edwards starts this season.
August 10th, 2021 at 11:57 am
Tough break for Whitehead. Edwards is coming along, and I expect him to be this year’s SMB. Glad we have young depth that Bowles has been cultivating. Good thing Licht made a habit of drafting secondary players.
August 10th, 2021 at 11:59 am
Plenty of time for dings and dents to heal before regular season. Hope it’s not really very serious. But at least there is depth.
August 10th, 2021 at 12:13 pm
RIP Jordan Whitehead.
August 10th, 2021 at 12:55 pm
DAMN!!!! We need this guy! Hope it’s not that Bad!
August 10th, 2021 at 12:57 pm
Rookie safety for the Jags, Andre Cisco, has been balling out and receiving alot of praise during training camp – he was the next pick after Trask.
August 10th, 2021 at 1:12 pm
Fair enough Alanbucsfan. Maybe should have taken Cisco.
Are there any other safeties besides Cisco in the 3rd or 4th round we know would have worked with our defense?
The traditional roles of a strong and free safety don’t exactly exist in this defense. The two are interchangeable, requiring versatility and a thorough understanding of the defense as a whole out of the players in that position. But safety Jordan Whitehead strength lied in his run support and primarily playing in the box.
Aaron Cisco has been playing a traditional free safety in camp for Jacksonville.
Schemes are important in football. Are we even sure that Cisco was a fit for us?
August 10th, 2021 at 1:13 pm
That sucks… still, Edwards and even Cockrell are more than capable at Safety, so we have depth.
August 10th, 2021 at 1:15 pm
Is Sabatino Piscitelli, The Goat available?
August 10th, 2021 at 1:20 pm
geno711-
Good point, but I’d feel alot better right now if Cisco was part of safety depth instead of a player who’ll be inactive and doesn’t figure to play until 2023.
August 10th, 2021 at 1:30 pm
Yes, I agree AlanBucsfan. I am not a Trask hater. Hope he hits.
But, I never totally understood the “want” by fans last year and again this year to draft Brady’s successor.
The Favre to Rodgers successions with no off years just do not hit (Can’t count Manning to Luck because Manning did not play year before so Indy got number 1 pick) that often.
Whether it was safety or some other position the Buc’s liked — Get a guy that might help us win this year.
August 10th, 2021 at 1:39 pm
Mark Twain once wrote … “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated”. Perhaps the same is true of Whitehead’s absence from practice?
Unless my reading skills have really deteriorated lately, all Joe wrote was that Whitehead missed practice TODAY and when asked about his absence, BA responded “We’ve got to wait and see.” Not sure that deserves a “RIP Jordan Whitehead” response.
And as far as Mike Edwards being better than Jordan Whitehead goes, whoa Nellie. They’re both close to the same size (both 5’10”; Mike weighs 205 while Jordan is lighter at 198). Big difference IMO is experience. Jordan has averaged 830 def snaps a year over 3 years, while Mike has averaged 400 def snaps a year over 2 years. They’ve both averaged 1 INT a year. They’ve both allowed 63.0% completions allowed. The big difference is in tackling. Jordan has averaged 8.8 tackles per 100 def snaps; Mike has averaged 7.0 tackles per 100 def snaps. Oh and availability is pretty similar also. Whitehead has played in 45 games in 3 years, starting 41 of those (average of 15 games/season). Edwards has played in 31 games in 2 years, starting 7 of those (average of 15.5 games/season).
Not a huge difference between the two … other than starting experience.
August 10th, 2021 at 2:09 pm
Yeah, I think most folks here are jumping the gun. The only thing I’m reading into Arian’s commentary is that he’s being guarded, either because he really doesn’t know, or because he’s already made it perfectly clear that he’s not open to discussing injury status.
August 10th, 2021 at 7:32 pm
Whitehead was willing to put his body completely on the line for a must win playoff game. He was crucial in the NFC championship game. Important player! fingers crossed. If it is not serious, he needs to rest the the rest of this camp.
August 10th, 2021 at 7:51 pm
Passingthru- That was my point too.
August 10th, 2021 at 11:55 pm
Arm chairing here I realize…but Cisco was the pick…for this current team. Things got awfully puckerish in the NFC Title Game when Winfield didn’t dress and Whitehead went down. Adams…a competent backup…didn’t return for this season. For those who say “he’s a rookie”…look what Winfield did last season. And with BA & JL in love with Gabbert…when and where exactly does Trask fit in?
August 11th, 2021 at 12:45 am
Best safety on the roster is Winfield. Best FS is Edwards. Best SS is Whitehead. We can survive if we lose one of our safeties.
August 11th, 2021 at 6:07 am
safety is injury prone position for any team look at derwin james-winfield injured alot in college-no starters in nfc championship game -we almost lost because this-should have taken cisco
August 11th, 2021 at 8:12 am
Jordan Whitehead will play. We know his history. The man is a true warrior that loves football. He took a hell of a hit in the playoffs because of his aggressiveness. Make him take the rest he needs.
August 11th, 2021 at 3:20 pm
At least we have 3 starting quality Safeties